Officer who Hit Protester to Leave IDF

Lieutenant-Colonel Shalom Eisner, who was filmed hitting a foreign anarchist during a violent protest last year, has signed a plea bargain that will mean the end of his IDF career.

Eisner will also be required to perform two months of community service, Channel 2 news reports. He will be convicted of unauthorized action and of conduct unbecoming an officer.

He has agreed to leave IDF service, despite having planned a longer career. His early resignation will not be considered an involuntary discharge.

He will not be eligible for promotion within the ranks of the IDF.

Following the plea bargain deal, Eisner said, “It’s the eve of Rosh Hashanah, and the real trial is during the holiday.” In Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashanah is a time of divine judgment.

Eisner also said, “I decided not to put up a fight, even though my behavior was fine. I decided to swallow this agreement.”

Eisner was filmed in 2012 hitting an activist with his gun as soldiers attempted to clear a group of Palestinian Authority residents and foreign anarchists from a road. Prior to the blow dealt by Eisner, the anarchists had broken his hand; however, that part of the fight was not included in the video footage that was released.

Eisner has previously declared that he does not regret hitting the far-left Danish activist. “My job was to protect my soldiers and open the road, and I did just that,” he declared after the incident.